Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Wilmington/NC/Cape Fear Sound (2009, Geraldi et al. 2014)
Geographic Extent
Wilmington/NC/Cape Fear Sound (2009, Geraldi et al. 2014)
Vectors
Level | Vector |
---|---|
Alternate | Hull Fouling |
Alternate | Ballast Water |
Regional Impacts
Ecological Impact | Habitat Change | |
Codium spp. are associated with both nitrogen-fixing and denitrifying bacteria. Codium fragile, which prefers artificial substrates, supports a greater rate of denitrification than the native C. decorticatum, increasing N2 release, and decreasing nitrate concentrations, potentially decreasing eutrophication (Geraldi et al. 2014). In experiments, C. fragile in single-species treatments supported a lower diversity of consumers, possibly because of lower habitat complexity, or because of lower food quality (Ramus and Long 2016). | ||
Ecological Impact | Competition | |
Codium fragile appears to have replaced the native C. decorticatum on artificial substrates (concrete, bulkheads, granite seawalls) in Cape Fear and Masonboro Sounds, in comparisons with 1940s surveys. However, C. decorticatum remains abundant on natural substrates such as oysters (Geraldi et al. 2014). | ||